Spring expander prop



1952 E. 0.. WILKERSON SPRING EXPANDER PROP Filed May 23, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 a. a, ,d m m .5 k m s m (L W WW w K 5 r a w A m I. a W on i z m w M mm 0V .u u

INVENTOR. Edward .D Walker-$071,

E. D. WILKERSON SPRING EXPANDER PROP 2 SHEETS'-SHEET 2 ATTORNEY Nov. 11, 1952 Filed May 23, 1950 Patented Nov. 11, T952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING EXPANDER- PROP Edward D. Wilkerson, Orange, N. J. Application May "23,1950, Seria-l No. T631727 6 Claims.

The invention relates generally to automobiles whereon are included pivotally mounted hoods of the alligator type, and it primarily-seeks to provide a novel prop structure by which the retraotile coil springs customarily employed for holding said hoods in lowered, closed, or open, elevated positions may be held in an expanded condition in which they can be removed from their mountings with great facility and without danger to mechanic's.

At the present time theso-called alligator-type of hoods are commonly used on automobiles. These hoods form one piece top portions o'fthe complete hood structures and are hinged at their rear portions and are swingabl'e upwardly from the front to render the interiors of the hood structures and the motors-and accessories thereinaccessible. The hoodsare su-fiiciently weighty and bulky to present handling difiiculties, and if left unrestrained and partially open when lowered they present a great hazard in driving because of the possi-bilityoi wind getting under the open front and forcing the same to'an-elevated position in which they obstruct the view of a driver. Very serious accidents have occurred in this manner, and it is common practice at the present time to provide in the pivotal-hood mountings, counterbalancing retractil'e springs so placed in combination with hood supporting linkageas to be effective Whena hood is raised to 'yield'ably hold it in its raised position, and after the hood has beenlowered to a point not distantly removed from its fully closed position to urge the same 'tosaid fully closed position. These counterbalancing springs-are'very strong and it is extremely diiiicult to mount and'dismount them without the use of prying. tools or levers, and in the use of known devices available for this purpose there is grave danger of injury to mechanics as aresult of suddencon-trac-tion of springs or the flying about of freeparts as a result of slippage of prying devices. Ibis the purpose of the present invention to provide -a novel prop-structure or distance piece inser-table in a counterbalancing spring of the character stated while, the-same is expanded or extended, and which is for-med to be engageable at one end with one end extremity of the spring and provided at its-other end with a seat in which to receive the other end of the spring as the-associated hood is manipulated on its supporting linkage to permitthe spring to partially contract or relax so as to bring the saidother spring end extremity against said seat-in partial extension retaining contact, thereby permitting removal of 2 the spring from 'its mountings while holding zthe same in its partially extended condition without any danger of the same suddenly contracting and causing damage to 'the mechanic or adjacentv accessories.

Another object of the invention is tofprovide a spring prop of the character stated'co'mpri'sing an elongated rod-like-body having aspring-hook end extremity receiving depression or sea'ta't one end, and a fork-like recess at its other end-for straddling the other hook end extremity :of the spring, said prop beinginsertablein the spring while it is partially extended and of such length relative to the spring 'as to act as a distance piece effective in its engagement between the spring end extremities for holding the spring in said extended condition and permitting rem'o'v'al thereof from its mountings with great facility.

With the above and other objectsin view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of-the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detaileddescription, the appended claims and the'several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sideelevation'illustratin'g one form of automobile hood counterbalancing spring means with the invention applied thereto, the hood being illustrated in the elevated position.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l with-the hood partially lowered so as to cause the downwardly directedend extremity of theuppersprin'g loop to clear the adjacent end of the inserted spring prop.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure'2'showing the hood again partially raised tobring about a relaxing of the spring andaseating of the downwardly turned upp'erloop extremity on the upper end of the spring prop, a swinging away "of the spring about its lower loop connection with the partially extended condition thereof maintained by the inserted springprop being 'il lustrated'at the left in dotted lines.

Figuree is a 'fragmenta'ry'vertical cross "section illustrating the parts in the position shown in Figure '1.

Figure 5 is a face view, and Figure 6 an edge view, both illustrating the lower end extremity of the spring prop.

In the example of embodiment of :the invention herein disclosed, the nove1spring prop illustrated as applicable to the counterbalanc'ing spring connectedwith anautomobile hood crane alligator type. A portion oi a n auto and'its hood 3 mounting is shown, the body being indicated at 5 and including the usual windshield 6 and the forwardly projecting cowl l. One fender also is indicated at 8, and it is to be understood that this fender is crowned inwardly and downwardly in the usual manner at 9 to form a meeting edge or seat for the lower edge I I of the hood 12.

An ofiset bracket I3 is secured as at It at each side of the cowl I, and to each said bracket a long link I is pivoted at its lower end as at 15, and a short link ii is pivoted at its lower end as at 8. A bracket 155 also is secured at each side within the hood i2, and the upper end extremities of one set of the previously mentioned links and I! are pivotally connected to each bracket I9, the link l5 being pivotally connected at and the link ll being pivotally connected at 2!. It is to be noted also that each of the short links H is equipped with a hook projection 22 at one side which forms a crotch or seat 23 in which to receive the upper end extremity or loop portion of a retractile counterbalancing spring. At each side of the hood structure there is provided an uprightly disposed retractile coil spring 24 terminated at its upper end in a long straight mounting loop 25 which includes a downwardly directed free end extremity 23. Each spring 25 also includes a mounting loop 2'! at its lower end extremity which is anchored as at 28 to a fixed bracket 29. The upper extremity of the upper loop 25 is seated in the crotch 23 of the respective short link ll when the spring is operatively connected in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 4 of the drawings.

The spring prop structure preferably takes the form of a rod-like body 36 having a conical depression or recess 3% at its upper end extremity and a fork-like recess of V-crotch 32 at its lower end extremity. At its lower end extremity the body is flattened as at 33, and opposite sides of the flattened body where it defines the lower end crotch 32 may be reversely bevelled as at 34 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings. The prop also is provided with a handle 35 projecting laterally from one side thereof adjacent its upper end extremity.

The novel prop structure has been illustrated in combination with a form of automobile hood suspension in which the counterbalancing spring devices serve both to yieldably hold the hood in its lowered, closed position, and in its elevated, open position. lhe elevated, open position of the hood is illustrated in Figure 1 from which it will be apparent that the anchored retractile spring 24 engaging and pushing downwardly in the short link crotch 33 tends to swing the short link I? to the left about its fixed pivot i8, thereby tending to pull the pivotal connections 29 downwardly about the long link pivotal connections 20 so as to hold the hood in its elevated position. It should also be apparent that by lowering the hood against the action of the springs 2d, the link sets ll, it will be caused to swing toward the right about their fixed pivots i8 and it, this action being opposed by the springs 2 until the connection of the spring loops 2:: in the short link crotches 23 passes dead center relation with the link pivots i8, after which the springs 24 will tend to continue the swinging of the links ii to the right but the relation of the link pivots 2| and 20 will be such as to tend to lower or close the hood rather than lift or open the same as theretofore.

When it is desired to utilize the props 30 to hold the springs 24 in partially expanded condition in the manner illustrated in Figure 3 so that they can be readily released from their seats in the link crotches 23, the props can be inserted in the upright springs 24 with the parts in the position illustrated in Figure 1, or with the hood i2 lowered to a greater extent in which position less room will be permitted for the insertion of operators arm and the insertion of the props into the upper ends of the coil springs 24 but the springs will have been extended to a greater degree as illustrated in Figure 2 so as to permit alignment of the downwardly turned end extremities 26 of the upper spring loops over the prop recesses 3| in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 2. If the insertion of the props is efiected with the hood in partially lowered position as illustrated in Figure 2 the alignment of the prop recesses 31 with the loop extremities 26 may be efiected without additional manipulation of the hood l2, but if the insertion of the props is efiected with the hood fully raised as in Figure l, movement of the hood as a lever will be necessary to condition the parts as illustrated in Figure 2 and facilitate said alignment of loop end extremities 26 with the prop recesses 31. With the parts lined up as illustrated in Figure 2 it is a simple matter to now slightly raise the hood l2 so as to cause the links ll, to swing forwardly, or to the left as viewed in Figure 2, thus additionally relaxing the springs 24 and permitting the downwardly turned end extremities 26 of the upper spring loops 25 to seat in the prop recesses 3|.

It is to be understood that the props 38 act as distance pieces having a predetermined definite length between the lower end crotches 32 and the upper end seats 3i which is greater than the spacing between the lower end extremity of each lower spring loop 2? and the end extremity 26 of each upper loop 25 when the spring is in repose. Thus by additionally raising the hood l2 in the manner illustrated in Figure 3 the upper spring loop 25 will be freed from the receiving crotches 23 in the short links ll so that each spring 25 and the inserted prop 3i] engaging between the upper and lower end extremities of the spring can be swung to the left as shown in dotted lines in Figure This swinging of the spring and holding prop equipments about the lower pivotal mounting of the springs entirely frees the mounting linkage of the hood and permits manipulation or removal of the hood without any danger of sudden contracting and flying away of springs or the damaging of parts and injury to operators.

When it is desired to re-establish the counterbalancing mounting of the hood it is a simple matter to swing the propped springs up into position for having the upper loops 25 again received in the short link crotches 23, and then by raising the hood from the position illustrated in Figure 2 to the position illustrated in Figure l the springs will again be expanded and the downwardly turned end extremities 26 of the upper loops 25 will be freed from the prop seats 31 so that the props 38 may be removed from the springs. By reference to Figures 5 and 6 it will be apparent that the reverse bevelling or the prop end faces at 3% provides for an automatic seating of the lower end of the prop over the lower loop extremity as the prop is dropped into the spring. Regardless of how it initially engages with the lower end extremity of the lower spring loop 21, it will be automatically shifted in its position to engage the loop extremity in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. It should also be apparent by reference to Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings that the fork-like lower end extremity of each prop engages the open side or hook portion of the respective lower spring loop at the outer side of the particular mounting bracket 29 so as to secure the sprin and prop combination against inadvertent removal from the bracket, the prop maintaining the partially expanded condition of the spring in the manner previously described and as clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings.

While one particular form of counterbalancing sprin mounting is illustrated herein as an example disclosure of adaptability of the invention, it isto be understood that the herein disclosed prop structures may be employed effectively in other forms of counterbalance spring mountings. It should also be understood that the particular form of prop may be variously changed without departin from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spring prop for holding in partially extended condition a retractile coil spring having a mounting loop at each end thereof, at least one said loop including an end extremity turned in the direction of the length of the spring and toward the main body thereof, said prop comprising, an elongated body receivable endwise in the spring through the coils thereof and having a fork-like recess at one end for straddlin and resting against one of the mountin loops of the spring, and a depression seat at its other end in which to receive the other mounting loop end extremity, the length of the prop body between said depression seat and mounting loop straddling recess being greater than the distance between the mounting loop end extremity and the other mounting loop of the spring when the spring is in repose so that when the prop is inserted in the spring while it is extended and with the recessed end of the prop straddling a mounting loop of the spring and the spring is then partially relaxed to bring its other mounting loop end extremity into the depression seat of the prop, the spring will be held in said partially relaxed, partially extended condition by the prop.

2. A spring prop as defined in claim 1 in which the prop body includes a handle projecting from one side adjacent one end thereof and which can be grasped by a user While the prop is inserted in a spring.

3. A spring prop as defined in claim 1 in which the prop body is in the form of a cylindrical rod, and the fork-like recess and the depression seat are disposed at opposite ends of and on the axis of the prop body.

4. A spring prop as defined in claim 1 in which the prop body is in the form of a cylindrical rod, and the fork-like recess and the depression seat are disposed at opposite ends of and on the axis of the prop body, and there also bein included a handle projecting from one side of the prop body adjacent the depression seat equipped end thereof.

5. A spring prop as defined in claim 1 in which the mounting loop straddling recess comprises a V-shaped notch having oppositely bevelled edges defining the V at opposite sides of the center effective to tend to turn the notch to a transverse straddling position as the notch is engaged over the mounting loop of the spring.

6. A spring prop as defined in claim 1 in which the mounting loop straddling recess comprises a V-shaped notch having oppositely bevelled edges defining the V at opposite sides of the center effective to tend to turn the notch to a transverse straddling position as the notch is engaged over the mounting loop of the spring, and in which the depression seat comprises a coniform recess centered on the axis of the prop body.

EDWARD D. WILKERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,384,472 Leahy July 12, 1921 1,428,566 Timrnerman Sept. 12, 1922 1,591,301 Ford July 6, 1926 1,690,731 Kulp et a1. Nov. 6, 1928 2,465,030 Myers Mar. 22, 1949 2,5 ,6 1 Guth H ge-,5",- p 1 1 0 

